There is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that cannabis a large part of early Christian ritual and that Jesus may have actually used it himself for spiritual purposes .

There is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that cannabis a large part of early Christian ritual and that Jesus may have actually used it himself for spiritual purposes .

The cannabis culture has now hit the mainstream and while some are using it as a means of escape from reality, many are using it for its miraculous healing powers and to connect deeply with themselves. The uses for cannabis and cannabis related plants like hemp in its many forms are endless and include-

These are just a few examples that show the versatility of the plant and due to this you could see why it may be labelled as a wonder plant. But what you may not know, which could add to all the marvel of cannabis, is that there is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that Jesus himself may have been a cannabis user.

The first clue is in the name, Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. Translated into modern English, this term would mean the anointed one.

This holy anointing oil, which has been described in Exodus (30:22-23) in the original Hebrew version of the recipe, contained a substance called kaneh bosem. Kaneh bosem has been identified by many respected etymologists, linguists, anthropologists, botanists and researchers as cannabis.

The oil which is made up of olive oil, kaneh bosem and a variety of other herbs, was used according to the Bibles New Testament to induct disciples, by rubbing this oil into their skin.

The anointing oil was treated as sacred and had the ability to cure a wide variety of ills, it is interesting to know that in these times diseases such as epilepsy were thought of as demonic possession, which were to be cured by using substances such as anointing oil. One of the popular uses for CBD oil, which is a non-psychoactive type of cannabis is to help with the reduction of seizures.

According to the old testament anointing oil was restricted to a small group of chosen people, however Jesus did not follow these strict rules and broke tradition by using it for initiations and healing and also encouraged others to do so. This is where the term Christians was born, meaning that all who had been initiated where now anointed ones.

Jesus’s own personal use has been documented in his baptism where Gnostic scriptures indicate it was performed while under the influence of the anointing oil. The description of the effects of the baptism indicates that Jesus underwent a deeper psychological experience than one would expect water to cause.

“Jesus came from Nazareth Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert for forty days and forty nights, while he was tempted by Satan. He was with wild animals and angels attended him. (Mark 1: 9-13)”

It seems that the more research that is being done, the more obvious that substances such as cannabis have been used medicinally throughout the ages. Not just in Christianity, but in all major religion.

The mysterious drug soma which was used in India for religious purposes, is thought to have been a psychedelic. Evidence suggests a secret potion that was part of the initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries in ancient Greece contained psychedelics. The Mexican magic mushroom has been used for centuries by the Aztecs. The peyote cactus plant has historically been used by member of Native tribes and still is to this day and Ayahuasca is being taken ceremonially across many Amazonian tribes and has even become popular with westerners.

With all this historic evidence pointing to the positive use of all these different plant medicines, it is hard to understand why such strict and oppressive rules have been placed on them, and while there is a level of responsibility that comes with the use of all of these substances, I think the witch hunt of the unknown needs to stop.

This article is not intended to insight any racial hatred or mockery, while I am not religious myself, I have a deep admiration for people who fully express their beliefs and live in line with what they believe. To practice any religion, the way it is outlined in the Holy Scriptures takes true dedication and commitment, which is to be respected.

What I am attempting to do is to remove stigma that is attached to many useful medicines which are being mislabelled as dangerous when in fact there is very little substance to the claims of their dangers. Yes they can be mentally and physically damaging if abused, but then again so can cheeseburgers, alcohol and prescription drugs and to ostracize one and worship the other is narrow minded and hypocritical.

So next time you have a bag of weed and you are faced with the age old dilemma of WWJD (What would Jesus do) remember that Jesus would have rolled it up, lit it and passed it around with his disciples! Let me know your stance on plant medicine by leaving me a comment below!

Luke Miller is the creator of Potential For Change. He believes that spirituality is the foundation for good health and likes to blend psychology and spirituality to help you create more happiness in your life.

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